Journey to Become the Zenith

The Chains of Destiny

His expression changed.

The faint amusement vanished from his face.

”Now, these heroes are a topic of controversy. Others don’t even consider them heroes.”

Videl’s eyes narrowed slightly.

”Why?”

”They are only called heroes because they were usually prophesized to do some great deed or another in the foreseeable future.”

Niklaus leaned back in his chair. His elbow rested casually against the armrest.

”Among all the hero types, they are the most likely to die.”

Videl’s expression stiffened.

”The most likely?”

”Yes.”

Niklaus answered without hesitation.

”The cause of their high death rates is the prophecy itself. It tells them that they are heroes.”

His crimson-golden eyes grew colder.

”Most of them eventually begin to believe that defeating the monster destined to terrorize the land is a certainty.”

He paused.

”Once that belief settles in their minds, they start indulging in all manner of vices.”

Videl’s lips parted slightly.

She hadn’t expected that answer.

Niklaus continued.

”They become arrogant.”

His voice remained calm.

”Careless.”

He shifted slightly in his chair.

”Some stop training. Some surround themselves with people who constantly praise them. Others begin to believe that destiny has already declared their victory.”

His eyes narrowed.

”So, in their minds, there is no reason to fear defeat.”

Videl remained silent.

Niklaus’s gaze stayed on her.

”When the time finally comes for them to face the monster they were destined to defeat, they usually die.”

The words settled heavily between them.

”And then another hero has to step up and finish the job.”

Silence followed.

The fire snapped softly in the hearth.

Videl stared into the flames.

The orange light reflected faintly in her eyes, but she barely noticed it.

Her thoughts were moving too quickly.

A prophecy could make someone arrogant.

A prophecy could make someone careless.

A prophecy could even become a trap.

She had never thought about it that way before.

For years, she had imagined prophecy as something reassuring.

Something that gave a person direction.

A promise that no matter how difficult the road became, fate would eventually guide them toward their destined end.

But Niklaus had just shown her the other side of it.

A prophecy did not have to save someone.

It could destroy them.

Especially if they became too confident in it.

Videl’s fingers slowly tightened against the fabric beneath them.

She lowered her eyes.

How many heroes had died because they believed they could not lose?

How many had mistaken destiny for invincibility?

She didn’t have an answer.

Niklaus watched her quietly for several moments.

He seemed to notice the shift in her expression.

Yet he didn’t interrupt her thoughts.

He allowed the silence to remain.

Eventually, he spoke again.

”Finally, there is the Natural Hero.”

Videl’s body instinctively straightened.

Her attention immediately returned to him.

Something about those words felt different.

She couldn’t explain why.

Perhaps it was because she already knew that both she and Niklaus belonged to this category.

That fact alone made the subject feel much more personal.

Niklaus noticed her reaction.

He continued anyway.

”The Natural Hero is born with the disposition of being a hero.”

His voice slowed.

There was more weight behind his words now.

”He or she, from birth, already has a carefully mapped destiny.”

He paused briefly.

”A destiny they will follow until the day they die.”

Videl’s breathing became quieter.

She didn’t look away.

Niklaus’s crimson-golden eyes remained fixed on her.

”Unlike the prophesized heroes, the Natural Hero’s destiny is harder to break.”

Videl felt a faint chill run through her.

Harder to break.

Those words stayed in her mind.

She looked back toward the fire.

The flames continued to dance peacefully, completely unaware of the weight of their conversation.

For some reason, Videl no longer found them comforting.

If destiny could become a trap for a prophesized hero, then what did it mean for someone whose entire life had already been mapped out from birth?

And if she truly was a Natural Hero...

How much of her life had actually been her own choice?

Her fingers tightened.

”Since the Natural hero has a disposition of being a hero, he or she is more likely to have the mentality of wanting to become stronger so that he or she can help everyone in need.”

Videl lowered her head.

That description sounded painfully familiar.

Wanting to become stronger.

Wanting to protect people.

Wanting to save those who couldn’t save themselves.

Those feelings had always seemed like hers.

They had always felt natural.

But now...

Niklaus’s next words struck far deeper than anything before them.

”Now unlike the other heroes, the Natural hero has practically no free will.”

Videl’s eyes slowly widened.

”Even the Chosen heroes who are representatives of Gods have more free will than a Natural hero.”

Her heartbeat became heavier.

Niklaus didn’t look away.

”At this moment you might think all the actions you have taken, all the righteous justice that you are feeling, came from your own self.”

He paused.

”But that the truth is, you’re just being controlled.”

The words seemed to drain the warmth from the room.

Videl couldn’t breathe properly for a moment.

Niklaus continued.

”The reason you are feeling something is wrong is because you are slowly breaking free from your destiny.”

His voice remained calm.

”The control they have on you is weakening.”

Videl looked at Niklaus with mixed emotions, as she tried her hardest to understand what had just been said to her.

Her ideals, her very self, her raison d’être were being questioned here.

The amount of information she had been given—and the truth buried within it—was mind-blowing.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Creator of Journey to Become the Zenith

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